Won't Get Fooled Again
by FanWriterWV
Summary: The saga of the new N.W.O. continues! Eric gets a partner, and the NWO gets its most surprising new member yet!


Won't Get Fooled Again

"This isn't over!" Triple H growled at Mick Foley. Foley grinned lopsidedly at Hunter, Hogan and Michaels as he walked back up the ramp with a smiling Eric Bischoff beside him. "See you next week, Hunter!" Bischoff called back.

ONE WEEK LATER

Hogan, Triple H and Shawn Michaels were walking into the arena with determination. With them was their newest member, John Cena. A reporter approached them.

"There are rumors that Vince McMahon has a special announcement tonight," he said. "Do any of you have anything to say in response?"

Hunter glared at the camera. "What I've got to say is for Mick Foley, and it'll be in the ring."

"Foley made the worst mistake of his life last week, Brother!" Hogan added. "But we're gonna take care of that tonight! Come on, guys!" With that, they made their way to the locker room area.

IN THE RING, FIVE MINUTES LATER

Mick Foley was grinning as he nodded back at the booing crowd. Finally, they gave him a chance to speak. "Everybody keeps asking, 'Why, Mick, Why?'" Foley wiped an invisible tear from his eye. "Well, you know what? I don't give a damn what you people think!" The crowd booed again. "I'm tired of being treated like a joke around here. I worked my butt off to get where I am! I'm the original hardcore champion, and I deserve some respect!" This only brought more boos. "Eric Bischoff knows how to give his wrestlers the respect they deserve! And if the N.W.O. doesn't like it, then that's just too damn bad! Have a nice day!" With that, he stormed out of the ring.

THE ARENA PARKING LOT

A black limo pulled up. The man that Foley had just been praising stepped out, along with Mr. McMahon. The same reporter who had questioned the N.W.O. approached them.

"What is the big announcement you have for tonight, Mr. McMahon?"

Vince smiled serenely. "What I have to say will concern the N.W.O., so I hope they're listening. That's all I have to say for now." The reporter stepped aside as the pair confidently walked to the arena.

N.W.O. LOCKER ROOM

"So Vince has an announcement to make, huh?" Hogan gestured at the T.V. set they were watching. "Okay, brothers, at least we know what to expect. So be prepared for anything, dudes."

"I'm not worried," Cena said. "I'm looking forward to getting my hands on The Big Show."

Michaels chuckled. "Hey, guys, I was just thinking. What's the best way to cut a giant down to size?"

Hunter thought about it. "Aim for his greatest weakness?"

Hogan caught on. "Catch him when he's not looking…I think I like where this is headed."

"Come on, Cena. We've got a little work to do…"

VINCE MCMAHON'S OFFICE

Vince and Eric were chatting with Mick Foley, bragging about how Mick had stunned both the N.W.O. and the fans the week before. "And this is just the beginning!" Vince promised. "Because after tonight, the N.W.O. will learn what real teamwork is all about!"

There was a knock on his door. Eric opened it to find Jonathan Coachman standing there, a worried look on his face. "I just got a call," he said. "Mr. McMahon…your wife is on the way to the building!"

Vince stared at him. "Linda? She's coming here?"

"What does she want?" Eric demanded.

"She says she has an announcement of her own, but she'll wait until you're finished with yours," Coachman replied.

"Hogan had to be involved in this somehow." Vince snarled. "All right. If he wants to play games, we'll play."

"What do you have in mind, Vince?" Foley asked. "What about Linda?"

Vince laughed. "This is my wife we're talking about. She's not involved with management decisions! It's just Hogan trying to rattle my cage. But his cage is the one that's going to be rattled…so to speak."

IN THE RING

Vince's theme music played and the crowd booed as Vince and Eric strutted out. Vince stepped into the middle of the ring.

"I have an announcement to make," he began, but was interrupted by a chorus of "Asshole! Asshole!" He glared at the audience. "Like I said before I was so rudely interrupted…I have an announcement to make. It seems Hogan and his cronies in the N.W.O. are a little upset at what transpired last week." The mention of the N.W.O. brought cheers from the crowd. McMahon frowned but went on. "Well, Hogan, tonight you'll get your chance at revenge. But it's not going to be an ordinary match. It's going to be MY kind of match. It's going to be you and the Big Show…in a steel cage, no disqualification match!"

"And jut to make things a little more interesting, we're going to have a special guest referee!" Eric Bischoff said. "That referee will be…Mick Foley!" Foley grinned and shook Eric's hand as the crowd roared its disapproval, but they were interrupted as Linda McMahon's theme music suddenly began playing, and the wife of the Chairman of the WWE walked down the ramp. Vince watched with some consternation as she entered the ring.

"I'm glad you're still here, Vince, because I've got something to add to what you just said." She faced the crowd. "Earlier today, I had a meeting with the board of directors. You remember them, don't you, Vince? Eric?" Eric nodded uneasily. "They seem to feel that your performance as General Manager has been…well, let's just say it hasn't been up to par. So, with that in mind, I decided to use my fifty per cent controlling interest in the WWE to make a decision."

Eric suddenly looked fearful. "You're going to fire me?" he demanded. "Linda, I have a contract. With all due respect, I work for Vince, not you."

"No, Eric, you're not going to be fired. What I have in mind is more in the nature of a partnership. You need a co-manager, someone to help you make Monday Night Raw continue to be the top-rated sports entertainment show on television."

Eric was about to protest, but Vince held up his hand. "All right, Linda, that's fair. So, who did you have in mind? It's not…Stone Cold Steve Austin, is it?" The mention of the Texas Rattlesnake's name brought cheers from the crowd. Linda shook her head.

"No, it's not Steve Austin. I understand Austin is making…other arrangements. No, the man I had in mind, the man I called, is one with several years' worth of experience in the WWE. He is well respected by both the fans and the wrestlers. In fact, you can meet him right…now."

Somewhere, the sound of bagpipes could be heard. Vince, Eric and Mick watched in astonishment as bagpipe musicians entered the arena. They came down the ramp and formed two lines on either side as they played.

Vince, Eric, and Mick continued to stare in disbelief as Rowdy Roddy Piper came down the ramp. Piper climbed over the ropes and stood basking in the crowd's reaction for a few minutes. Then he shook Linda's hand and turned to face Vince.

"First of all, I just gotta say it's great to be back, man!" The crowd roared as Vince and Eric fumed. Eric grimaced as Piper stepped towards him.

"Eric! It's been a long time! How are ya, pal?"

"Back off, Piper! I'm not your pal!" He looked at Linda, pleading. "Linda, this is some kind of a mistake. This is never going to work. Piper is not management material."

Linda studied him. "Well, Eric, you can either look at this as an opportunity-or as a problem. If it's a problem, then I'm just going to have to use my authority as co-owner of the WWE to have your contract terminated-and you fired."

Eric stammered and looked at Vince for help, but Vince was just shaking his head, a perplexed look on his face.

"Or, if it's an opportunity you want, then I suggest you and Mr. Piper shake hands and work together for the good of the company. The choice is up to you."

Piper stuck his hand out, a big grin on his face. "This is going to be a beautiful friendship! Put 'er there, buddy!"

Vince and Mick could only watch as Eric weakly offered his hand. He looked like he was going to cry as they shook, while Linda left the ring, leaving a still-stunned Vince and Mick to look on.

THE LOCKER ROOM AREA

Big Show was walking down the hallway when somebody called out from behind. He turned around, but saw nobody there. "Cena? Is that you? I'm gonna kick your…"

He got no further than that as Hogan smacked him on the back of the head with a steel chair. Then Triple H went after Hogan's face with his sledgehammer. Shawn was next as he delivered some "Sweet chin music" to the disoriented giant. Big Show was still reeling as he was pummeled by Cena. Hogan and Michaels both grabbed Big Show's arms and threw him through a nearby door. As he lay in the doorway, Cena walked up with a can of spray paint and painted the letters N W O across the big man's back. Then Cena turned to face in the general direction of Vince McMahon's office. "Tell Foley Hogan will see him in the ring!" he called. "You can't see ME!" he said to the unconscious Big Show.

THE STEEL CAGE MATCH

Hogan and Foley were going at it one on one. A regular referee tried to keep pace as Foley tried to fight back, but Hogan was able to deliver a massive boot to Foley and then finish him off with his signature leg drop. Hunter, Cena and Shawn Michaels joined the crowd in demonstrating their approval. As Foley rolled out of the steel cage door, Hogan turned to face the camera. Hunter, Michaels and Cena joined him in the bloodied ring.

"Linda McMahon's not the only one who knows how to use a cell phone, brothers and sisters!" he declared. "After we took care of the Big Show in the back, I made a call. We've got another new member of the N.W.O., and if it's OK with everybody, I'd like him to come down to the ring now!"

The crowd cheered. Hogan waved at the ramp. There was the sound of glass breaking, and aggressive music filled the arena as Stone Cold Steve Austin made his way down to the ring. The Rattlesnake raised his fists as he joined the others. As the steel cage was raised, somebody tossed him some beers. He passed them around to Hogan, Hunter, Michaels and Cena, who all knocked their cans against his as Austin stood on the ropes and guzzled. When he was done, he stood in the ring.

"I just got one thing to say." He scowled at the camera. "Vince, you stupid bastard, I know you're watchin', so listen really carefully…I'm back, I'm here to raise hell and do whatever the hell I wanna do, and if you think I've forgotten all the crap you put me through the last time I was here, then I'm gonna remind ya. Are ya listening, you dumb son of a bitch?"

VINCE MCMAHON'S OFFICE

Vince was listening. So were Eric and Foley. Foley looked at Vince. "Well, Vince…what do we do now?"

Vince could only groan in response.

RODDY PIPER'S OFFICE

"Yeah, I know…I feel great being back! I hope you will too, man!" The Hot Rod closed his cell phone as he watched Stone Cold celebrating with the N.W.O. in the ring. "This is gonna be so great," he chuckled. "I just hope Vince and Eric won't mind…aw, who cares?" He sat down on the leather couch and smiled as he watched the celebration in the ring.

TBC!


End file.
